Ouroboros Spine thorns

her strong jaws chewed more of the numbing willowbark. 

she knew he was a man now. she had put those scars upon him herself. and yet all she saw before her was a forlorn boy, as wide-eyed and saddened as any of her own sunshine sons.

and so for a time she was silent, grunting for him to turn his head this way and that. "the first time you walk in battle, you learn a lesson no one else can teach."

she wound a length of rabbitfur over the salve and patted it into place. "there will be scars, seal hunter. but you are no stranger to scars, hm?"